AH Primetime: Google’s Battery Ambitions Could Prove To Be A Game Changer For Them As Well As The Industry

Chances are, whatever mobile device you currently use, you experience battery life issues. This is not an individual or device specific issue and instead is a widespread issue across the mobile sector. So much so, that the race to develop the next battery that everyone will be using is very firmly on. Researchers are working on thinner, more flexible batteries which work off an anode-less arrangement while other researchers are working on an aluminium-ion solution to the current de facto, lithium-ion batteries. Each have their own benefits and highlight the level to how different researchers are looking at approaching the issue.

Well, this week has also seen reports emerging that Google are well and truly in the race to find the ‘next battery’. The report which this week suggested Google have a team from their Google X labs currently working the issue and looking to find how they can develop and bring to market their own option. The team led by Dr. Ramesh Bhardwaj began by looking at what is offered by others and have since moved on to trying to develop a homegrown product.

Although the news was news, it should not be much of a surprise really. Google have struggled in recent times to find their way into the hardware market. Although, their software is on the sheer majority of mobile devices, manufacturers of late, have been also looking at developing their own in-house hardware elements, instead of outsourcing as they have done in the past. This is a problem even Qualcomm are now facing after the issues they have encountered with the Snapdragon 810 coupled with OEMs intention to use their own products. Therefore, if Google can solve one of the biggest current issues, battery life, by bringing to market their own product, they will in effect be bringing a game-changer to the industry. Not only will their battery solution cement their place within the hardware market but it will also strengthen its relationship with those OEMs again.

The other benefit to Google to bring their own battery, is of course, their own hardware products. Over the last couple of years, Google has invested heavily in many new forms of tech (Google Glass being a prime example) and like all tech, battery issues, seem to be a recurring theme. By bringing a more effective battery solution to market, and at their own cost price, Google will not only be able to offer better homegrown products, (in the case of Google Glass, also look better) but do so at a much cheaper cost. Therefore, Google’s search for a viable battery solver, seems almost more important than it will be to other manufacturers and developers. While whoever manages to bring their solution to the mainstream, if Google can do it, the repercussions are likely to be far more resonating for the industry, as well as for Google.